Methods and apparatus for controlling location for starting decoding of sub-packets of a communication packet

Abstract

A communication device includes a decoder that sequentially decodes sub-packets of a first packet that contain redundant traffic information. The decoder identifies a first sequence location where it successfully decoded one of the sub-packets of the first packet to output the traffic information. The decoder then sequentially decodes sub-packets of a second packet starting at a second sequence location that is determined in response to the first sequence location. Related methods, user equipment node, and radio access network nodes are also disclosed.

1 . A communication device comprising:
 a decoder configured to sequentially decode sub-packets of a first packet that contain redundant traffic information, to identify a first sequence location where one of the sub-packets of the first packet successfully decoded to output the traffic information, and to sequentially decode sub-packets of a second packet starting at a second sequence location that is determined in response to the first sequence location.   
     
     
         2 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the decoder sequentially receives the sub-packets of the first packet from another communication device, and is further configured to respond to the successful decoding of one of the sub-packets of the first packet by triggering communication of a message to the other communication device to terminate communication of any remaining portion of the sequence of sub-packets of the first packet.   
     
     
         3 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the decoder is further configured to respond to the sub-packets of the second packet having a same coding rate as the sub-packets of the first packet by sequentially decoding the sub-packets of the second packet starting at the second sequence location which is a defined number of sub-packets offset from the first sequence location.   
     
     
         4 . The communication device of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the decoder is further configured to sequentially decode the sub-packets of each of the first and second packets starting no earlier than a default sequence location that is defined by a common coding rate of the sub-packets of the first and second packets.   
     
     
         5 . The communication device of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the decoder is further configured to respond to the sub-packets of the second packet having a different coding rate than the sub-packets of the first packet by sequentially decoding the sub-packets of the second packet starting at the default sequence location.   
     
     
         6 . The communication device of  claim 3 , wherein:
 following successful decoding of a sub-packet of each of the first and second packets, the decoder is further configured to respond to a sequence of sub-packets of a third packet having a same coding rate as the sub-packets of the first and second packets by sequentially decoding the sub-packets of the third packet starting a defined number of sub-packets offset from the second sequence location in the sub-packets of the second packet.   
     
     
         7 . The communication device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a Radio Frequency, RF, receiver that is configured to sequentially receive the sub-packets of the first packet during a sequence of Power Control Group, PCG, periods of a first frame and to sequentially receive the sub-packets of the second packet during another corresponding sequence of PCG periods of a second frame; and   the decoder is further configured to identify a first number of the PCG periods of the first frame where one of the sub-packets successfully decoded to output the traffic information, and to sequentially decode the sub-packets of the second packet starting at a second number of the PCG periods of the second frame that is determined in response to the first number of the PCG periods of the first frame.   
     
     
         8 . The communication device of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the decoder is further configured to respond to the sub-packets of the second packet having a same coding rate as the sub-packets of the first packet by sequentially decoding the sub-packets of the second packet starting a defined number of the PCG periods earlier in the second frame than the first number of the PCG periods of the first frame.   
     
     
         9 . The communication device of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the decoder is further configured to decode the sub-packets of the second packet starting no earlier than a default number of the PCG periods of the second frame that is defined by a coding rate of the sub-packets of the second packet.   
     
     
         10 . The communication device of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the decoder is further configured to respond to the sub-packets of the second packet having a coding rate of one, one-half, one-quarter, or one-eighth by defining the default number of the PCG periods of the second frame to be eight, four, two, or one, respectively.   
     
     
         11 . The communication device of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the decoder is further configured to respond to the sub-packets of the second packet having a different coding rate than the sub-packets of the first packet by sequentially decoding the sub-packets of the second packet starting at the default number of the PCG periods of the second frame.   
     
     
         12 . The communication device of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the RF receiver is configured to receive the first and second packets from a radio access network node and to transmit a power control signal to the radio access network node during each of the PCG periods; and   the decoder is further configured to respond to successful decoding of one of the sub-packets of the first packet by triggering communication of a frame termination message to the radio access network node to terminate transmission of any remaining portion of the sequence of sub-packets of the first packet, and to respond to successful decoding of one of the sub-packets of the second packet by triggering communication of another frame termination message to the radio access network node to terminate transmission of any remaining portion of the sequence of sub-packets of the second packet.   
     
     
         13 . The communication device of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the RF receiver is configured to receive the first and second packets from a user equipment node; and   the decoder is further configured to respond to successful decoding of one of the sub-packets of the first packet by triggering communication of a frame termination message to the user equipment node to terminate transmission of any remaining portion of the sequence of sub-packets of the first packet, and to respond to successful decoding of one of the sub-packets of the second packet by triggering communication of another frame termination message to the user equipment node to terminate transmission of any remaining portion of the sequence of sub-packets of the second packet.   
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 sequentially decoding sub-packets of a first packet that contain redundant traffic information;   identifying a first sequence location where one of the sub-packets of the first packet successfully decoded to output the traffic information; and   sequentially decoding sub-packets of a second packet starting at a second sequence location that is determined in response to the first sequence location.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 sequentially receiving the sub-packets of the first packet from another communication device; and   responsive to the successful decoding of one of the sub-packets of the first packet, communicating a message to the other communication device to terminate communication of any remaining portion of the sequence of sub-packets of the first packet.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 responsive to the sub-packets of the second packet having a same coding rate as the sub-packets of the first packet, sequentially decoding the sub-packets of the second packet starting at the second sequence location which is a defined number of sub-packets offset from the first sequence location.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 sequentially decoding the sub-packets of the second packet starting no earlier than a default sequence location that is defined by a coding rate of the sub-packets of the second packet.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 responsive to the sub-packets of the second packet having a different coding rate than the sub-packets of the first packet, sequentially decoding the sub-packets of the second packet starting at the default sequence location.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 sequentially receiving the sub-packets of the first packet during a sequence of Power Control Group, PCG, periods of a first frame;   identifying a first number of the PCG periods of the first frame where one of the sub-packets successfully decoded to output the traffic information;   sequentially receiving the sub-packets of the second packet during a sequence of PCG periods of a second frame; and   sequentially decoding the sub-packets of the second packet starting at a second number of the PCG periods of the second frame that is determined in response to the first number of the PCG periods of the first frame.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 responsive to the sub-packets of the second packet having a same coding rate as the sub-packets of the first packet, sequentially decoding the sub-packets of the second packet starting at the second number of PCG periods of the second frame; and   responsive to the sub-packets of the second packet having a different coding rate than the sub-packets of the first packet, sequentially decoding the sub-packets of the second packet starting at a default number of PCG periods of the second frame that is defined by a coding rate of the sub-packets of the second packet.   
     
     
         21 . A user equipment node comprising:
 a RF receiver configured to sequentially receive from a radio access network node sub-packets of a first packet during a first frame and sub-packets of a second packet during a second frame; and   a decoder configured to sequentially decode the sub-packets of the first packet, to identify a first sequence location where one of the sub-packets of the first packet successfully decoded to output traffic information, and to sequentially decode the sub-packets of the second packet starting at a second sequence location that is determined in response to the first sequence location.   
     
     
         22 . The user equipment node of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the decoder is further configured to respond to successful decoding of one of the sub-packets of the first packet by triggering communication of a frame termination message to the radio access network node to terminate transmission of any remaining portion of the sequence of sub-packets of the first packet.   
     
     
         23 . The user equipment node of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the decoder is further configured to respond to the sub-packets of the second packet having a different coding rate than the sub-packets of the first packet by sequentially decoding the sub-packets of the second packet starting at a default sequence location that is defined by a coding rate of the sub-packets of the second packet.   
     
     
         24 . A radio access network node comprising:
 a RF receiver configured to sequentially receive from a user equipment node sub-packets of a first packet during a first frame and sub-packets of a second packet during a second frame; and   a decoder configured to sequentially decode the sub-packets of the first packet, to identify a first sequence location where one of the sub-packets of the first packet successfully decoded to output traffic information, and to sequentially decode the sub-packets of the second packet starting at a second sequence location that is determined in response to the first sequence location.   
     
     
         25 . The radio access network node of  claim 24 , wherein:
 the decoder is further configured to respond to the sub-packets of the second packet having a different coding rate than the sub-packets of the first packet by sequentially decoding the sub-packets of the second packet starting at a default sequence location that is defined by a coding rate of the sub-packets of the second packet.